By Rose Aba Akafo
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation (MoFAIC) announced on Monday the suspension of four senior staff members after completing an internal enquiry concerning visa fraud allegations raised by former ECOWAS speaker and current SLPP parliamentarian, Hon. Sidie Mohamed Tunis.
Alieu Badara Mansaray, head of chancery at the Sierra Leone Embassy in Algeria, Shamit Aminata Tarawallie, secretary at the Sierra Leone Embassy in Ireland, Thomas Alfred Sengeh and Isatu Joselyn Jalloh, senior secretaries at the ministry have all been suspended.
Two other officials have been recalled from their overseas postings.
The ministry said it “identified deficiencies in administrative and consular procedures, document verification and authorisation, supervisory oversight, and institutional controls,” and has referred the matter to the Anti-Corruption Commission for further investigations.
“These measures do not constitute findings of criminal wrongdoing or final determinations of individual responsibility,” it said. “Further action will depend on the Anti-Corruption Commission’s findings, applicable law, and decisions by the competent authorities.”
The ACC confirmed that the matter has been referred to them, stating that they are currently evaluating the evidence to determine the next course of action.
“I can confirm that the ACC has received the file today and it is currently under review to determine the next steps,” ACC Commissioner Francis Ben Kaifala said.
In early September, Tunis lodged a complaint of alleged visa fraud after the U.S. Embassy in Freetown rejected his visa application to attend the UNGA in New York on grounds that his executive assistant named Chapator Bah, who travelled with him to the U.S. in 2023 never returned to Sierra Leone.
Tunis denied knowing anyone by that name and said he had never had such a person as his executive assistant.
Bah was allegedly presented in 2023 as Tunis’s executive assistant during his tenure as ECOWAS speaker. His visa application was reportedly submitted under the same note verbale as Tunis.
Tunis says the matter could cause damage to his reputation, as well as to Sierra Leone and the ECOWAS parliament.
The ministry said it was strengthening its administrative and consular safeguards and would cooperate fully with the ACC as the investigation proceeds.
The referral to the ACC now places the matter before the country’s anti-corruption body for investigation within its legal mandate. The outcome could determine whether further administrative or legal action is warranted.
